*DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to the Twilight Saga and it's characters. This is purely artistic fiction drawn in inspiration from Stephanie Meyers words.
*This story features dark Edward.
* Jacob maintains his pre-wolf personality, but a little animosity with his transformations.
*Includes a stronger Bella arc.
*The timeline begins after the infamous cliff jump incident in New Moon and divulges from the original.
*Quileute wolves do not imprint on anyone unless both parties are at least 18. There are NO huge age gaps (ex. 4 and 16), and it happens between anyone regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
*Quileute wolves also do not cut their hair out of respect for their personal and spiritual beliefs. It does not affect their transformations.
*There will be warnings for certain chapters that contain disturbing imagery that some may find triggering.
Note: I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter! It's my favorite so far. :)
This chapter contains PG-13 imagery. Mature content ahead!
Jacob's whole body had been on high alert and the tension he carried was visible. He instantly relaxed the moment Alice left, closing the gap between us. I stared up into his wearied obsidian eyes, feeling the urge to slap him. Hard. But I also wanted to hug him at the same time. I was conflicted with a million emotions. The most prominent one felt relief. Edward didn't know about my jump, and my guilt shrunk exponentially. He was gone from my life completely. My other emotions caught up and I felt resentment towards Jake's brash actions. I also felt protected. I knew he wouldn't hurt me. He was trying to keep me from any more pain and potential heartache.
"He doesn't care about you, Bells... He just didn't want to be responsible if you really had been hurt because of his actions. Everything is his fault. Victoria, your near catatonic state—I'm not sorry for how I acted. You were barely a person when we started hanging out almost a year ago. I see what he did to you, and I would never hurt you. I will never abandon you."
"Jake, cool it with the sentimental stuff. I'm going through emotional whiplash to the max right now," I splayed my hands against his pectoral muscles weakly, trying to push him away. That was seemingly a moot point as he overrode me and pulled me into a desperate embrace. His warmth enveloped me, and I forgot everything I had been feeling prior to his touch. I huffed in a deep breath of his scent after an exasperated sigh. Ridiculous.
My brain slowly retaliated, "You can't just hug me and make me forget I'm mad, you jerk," I said with mild annoyance.
"I'm sorry—I know that whole ordeal was very trying for you, and I made matters worse. Can you ever forgive me?" He pulled away only a few inches, his nose was dangerously close to mine. It was hard to see his face because the lowlight in the kitchen cast a shadow over his features. My heart thumped so loudly inside my chest, I felt self-conscious that he heard its choppy rhythm clear as day. He pulled his hair down from its low bun, ruffling a hand through his tresses.
"M-maybe. You have to behave, Jake. There are things called manners. And—" He smiled softly again, and his cool, minty breath washed over me.
This wasn't happening. It can't. Jake was going to ruin everything—or fix it. I couldn't discern the difference. A large part of me felt happiness that Edward wasn't going to come back, and another part felt betrayed that he simply didn't care enough. My attention reverted back to Jacob as his intense eyes bore into mine during the silence. He began the slow dissent of a kiss. Our first kiss. I trembled in his arms. Unsure—momentarily—of whether to accept what came next. I hadn't prepared myself accurately yet. Alice's interruption was a surprise blessing, but it had broken my concentration.
I rushed through the motions mentally. Did I have feelings for Jake? Yes—I had accepted that dormant truth beyond all shadow of a doubt. Almost drowning today was a catalyst, forcing me to realize I wanted this. I wanted him. I only refused him romantically before because I was too preoccupied with a lost cause. Edward was never coming back. Alice confirmed to me that he was only interested in whether I had gone back on my word. That action was irreparable. It was finite. Done. Over. The choice was obvious. Jacob had been my everything for so long. He had listened to me, comforted me, and protected me. He had always made his intentions clear and would never lie to me. He was my safe haven and my best friend. He also loved me, not just my blood. This past year spent uninterrupted with him cemented his presence in my life. Forever.
My whole body behaved in tandem with Jacob. His face was a few centimeters from mine now. My heart picked up pace, racing around my ribs at great speed. I was out of time to work through my unending thoughts. I had assuredly, irrevocably decided. I locked my arms around his thick neck, pressing my body against his. My face was entirely too hot. Was I blushing? My movements felt familiar but simultaneously alien in nature.
"Can I...can I kiss you?" He whispered delicately, his lips brushing against the corner of mine. That slight contact was enough to send a jolt of electricity up my spine.
He pulled me even closer to him, perfectly molding my figure to his. Our lips brushed again, this time from his nervousness. He did not connect them at first, patiently waiting for me, and in that lone moment my mind slowly understood. I paused in his strong hold, my words struggling to form as his unyielding warmth lit a archetypal fire inside me. It started as a tiny spark, looking to heal my deepest emotional wounds. He was lighting a brilliant path through the darkness inside me, leading me back into the sunshine I had callously thrown away so long ago. A calm enveloped me; this was how it was meant to be. Our closeness was always soothing, but this was entirely different from anything before. I wanted to kiss Jacob. I wanted it more than anything.
"I think I would like that." I mumbled, my words felt too heavy.
My eyes fluttered shut and my hands instinctively laced into his soft hair. I felt every single beat of his strong heart, it mirrored mine. One of his giant, bear-like hands held the back of my neck at the base of my skull, carefully guiding my head to the left. He applied ginger, ample pressure to my tense muscles as the other came to rest against the small of my lower back. I repeated a silent affirmation inside my mind; Edward doesn't want me. Jacob does, and would do anything to prove his undying love. He would always be there for me—no matter what. He saved my life today, in more ways than one.
"I wish I had more time to do this. I wanted it to be so much better," he whispered sweetly, pausing for a brief moment, "I need you to know that I'm in love with you. Kwop kilawtley, Bella," his smile dissolved into a quiet, palpable tenderness. His words were barely audible, but I was too focused. I was enthralled with each syllable.
His eyes closed and mine followed in quick succession. We came forward the rest of the way and our lips meshed together in curious, gentle longing. The initial kiss was deep, unwavering, and passionate. It was only broken by fleeting moments where we mutually panted for air. Time melted around our shared, blithe existence. I tasted his kiss with fervency as it blossomed, our tongues touched briefly in the heat of the moment. The sensation was a hot, intoxicating ecstasy. When I readily responded to him physically, pressing harder into his kiss with just as much ardor, Jacob sucked in a sharp hiss of air. His hold on me became more profound, and he lifted me onto the counter top in one controlled, flurry of movement. I hadn't even minded it, I wanted more. So much more.
I pawed at his shirt between ragged breaths. The rough stubble around his mouth had rubbed my lips and the skin around it pleasantly raw. He firmly parted my knees, forming perfectly to the empty space in between my legs. He held my upper body even tighter against his. Both of his hands were seemingly everywhere. They ultimately ended up tangled in the long mess of my long hair, smoothing it out of the way and kissing tactfully along the sensitive highway of my neck. My thoughts were nonexistent in the sweeping, wistful heat of his touch. We were getting carried away...
He sensed this unspoken barrier, reluctantly pulling out of my grasp. He surprised me by cupping my rosy face, and breathily decorating it with dozens of smaller, shorter, clumsier kisses. All over my chin, my burning cheeks, and my nose. Each was spectacularly and equally compassionate. I could feel his affection in full force. The love he held for me was immeasurable and beyond any wonder this world formerly provided. I couldn't compare it to anything I'd experienced because there wasn't anything that could ever come close. I was disappointed with the sudden removal of his lips on mine and pined for their softness. I didn't know this was possible, that I could feel like this.
Kisses and affection, for that matter, were plainly boring with Edward. He was perpetually cold, inside and out, and physical touch was near impossible with him. He wasn't sentimental, and definitely couldn't be this close without losing control and wanting more. Not in the traditional teenage sense, at least. Everything between us—every single movement—came with regret. Originally, his inability came from his thirst but then it morphed into his grossly outdated ideology from the 1900's. Edward placed me on a marble pedestal and viewed me like some sort of angelic, virtuous maiden who could do no wrong.
Truly, the only defining reason he was interested in me at all was because he couldn't hear my thoughts. The deafening silence he experienced when he was around me drew him in. A hundred years of unequivocal, telepathically streamlined radio-static from every person he'd come in contact with and then nothing. His saving grace on this earth. Contrarily, my blood was the ultimate form of illicit drug to him. He'd confessed to me that he vehemently wanted to rip my throat out the moment he met me. To a still developing, naïve girl, love with Edward appeared soul-rending, matchlessly paradisiacal, and everlasting. The likes of which aligned with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, but it was just as untimely, all consuming, and damning as he wrote. If allowed to continue, it would end quietly, my self-preservation frozen under a monumental layer of permafrost. Death—in a multiple, different ways. Mainly the intimate demise of my humanity.
With Jake, life and love were the polar opposite. I wouldn't have to change who I was to be a part of his world. Loving him would come with abundant benefits and zero risk. There was no emotional or physical strain. He wasn't afraid of breaking me. The was no ruining my fragile, womanly integrity. Eventually, with enough time, I'd learn to function as a sane, happy person again. Better still, I'd become the best version of myself in his capable arms. He would guide me, partner with me to repair all the damage inflicted to my psyche. It was simple love. Not easily comparable to the breathless, poetically superlative, presumably Wuthering Heights kind, but substantial enough to heal me internally. The type of love that was uncomplicated, and cherished for decades. We would grow old together—side by side.
Jacob ended his string of smaller kisses and positioned my head to look up into his obsidian-hued eyes. My heart fluttered wildly when mine met his, I was searching for what he would say next. I didn't want the contact to end—it was eminently addicting. This was everything I had ever dreamt of.
"Well, how was that for a first kiss?" Jake's expression was forlorn. His thumb caressed the thickest part of my cheek and I leaned into his grasp with satisfaction. His breath was slow and silent, his hands lightly trembled with the release of tension.
"I can't exactly rate it but if there were a scale for comparison, I think you broke it." My mind was at complete ease, and I actively ignored the doorbell this time.
"Shoot. Must be the pizza... I completely forgot," he sighed hesitantly, not wanting to break our connection. He leaned down to leave one more poignant kiss on my forehead as a farewell of sorts.
He pulled back, "I'll get it, Bells. Meet me at the couch?"
His light, jovial grin made my knees buckle. I couldn't possibly anticipate another kiss like that, but the thought of more made my heart do several backflips against my ribs. Would he want to kiss again? His smile dissipated, and he set me carefully back onto my wobbly feet. I stood uneasily on the laminate kitchen tile in front of him. His hands fell slowly to his sides as he turned to the door and went to collect the pizza. I slammed back into reality with his absence.
While he was talking with the delivery driver for a minute, I grabbed plates and paper towel and regrouped mentally and emotionally. He rounded the corner sharply and intercepted me at the living room. His stride was much faster than mine, considering his legs were at least more than half of my entire body. The two, large boxes in his hands were somehow tiny, like square frisbees in his enormous bear paws. Or should I call them wolf paws? I chuckled quietly to myself at my private joke. He cast the pizza down onto the coffee table entirely too fast. I went to sit down on the couch, but he abruptly caught me off guard with pulling me into another backwards hug before I could.
"Hey, that's my spot, shrimp. I'll trade you," he mused.
His face came to nestle into the small crook of my exposed neck, breath tickling the tenderness of my bare clavicle. His baggy shirt was the culprit, my whole shoulder was visible. A wave of goosebumps formed on my skin as his pointed attention bathed the sensitive plane of my nape. I struggled against his broad arms that had somehow worked their way around my waist, playfully swatting at his hands.
"So sorry, your highness. I didn't realize you had already claimed it. I don't see your name written on my couch." I laughed heartily and ceased all of my movement. I knew it wouldn't have helped my cause anyway. He was far too strong for me. I felt minuscule in his embrace, but the intensity of how he held me instilled a feeling of endearment.
"Well, my name's not written on it exactly...but I'll show you why it's my spot—"
With a fast and acrobatic maneuver, he whipped us around and pulled me with him. My feet and legs awkwardly smashed together from confusion, and I didn't move in time. I was certain I'd fall on my face. Jake gingerly steadied me and I flung down on the couch directly beside him with the momentum. It didn't hurt at all and I was astounded to make it through that without a new bruise peppering my body.
The rest of the night came and went far too quickly for my preference. We watched a few more movies before Charlie came home, subsequently falling asleep on the couch together. It was sometime close to 3 AM when Charlie sauntered in, I heard the telltale echo of his badge and gun settling onto the kitchen table. I cracked open a tired eye to see he had grabbed a slice or two before heading up the stairs. I felt better knowing he had eaten something.
I assumed he didn't mind Jacob being so close because I was home, and he didn't need to worry about me. He would have said otherwise. Billy's kid was a far cry better than Edward in his eyes—any day. A welcome change given the past few months of hell I'd put him through with my depression. At one of my darker points, he heartbrokenly suggested I move to Jacksonville to be with Renee. I adamantly refused, painfully remembering my acidic words I'd rashly thrown at him to leave Forks because of James. I would never forgive myself. I didn't want to run away anymore. I'm sure seeing me be a regular teen for once gave him peace of mind.
I heard Charlie slump up the stairs and I swiveled my head to observe Jake. His lanky, athletic figure was sprawled out lazily on the couch. He was so very deeply asleep, laying along the entire length of the back row of cushions with his back propped against me. The TV was still on, nothing but white noise and the dim, white light illuminating the living room. It was a relief knowing he got some sleep tonight before continuing the hunt for later. My thoughts viciously turned to Victoria. I was confident the other members of the pack were working hard to catch her. She would come for me eventually, and that made my heart involuntarily skip a beat.
Distracting myself, I placed a jittery hand onto the top of his head, attempting to rouse him gently. His slow, hushed breathing hitched, and his long limbs straightened before reticently relaxing again. He had realized it was me and leaned into my palm, nuzzling deeper into my touch. The action reminded me of a puppy seeking attention and I couldn't help my warm smile in response.
"Jake...it's very late. You're welcome to stay the night. I'm going to go up to my room. Charlie just got in," I spoke softer, "Do you need anything before I go to bed?" My whisper was drowned out by the noise of the TV. He stretched his lengthy body and gave a stifled yawn. I heard the familiar sound of Charlie snoring drift down the stairs.
"No, I should be good to stay. Do you have an extra toothbrush? It's been hard trying to keep up dental hygiene on four legs," he admitted. I nodded with a tiny giggle, the mental image of wolf Jacob chewing on large tree branches was entirely too cute.
We were both very quiet and made sure not to wake Charlie, who arguably had enough on his mind. I placed the remnants of pizza into the fridge, turning off the TV before I led him to the bathroom on the second floor. Jacob wasn't exactly light, so that made me nervous when we ascended the steps, but he magically avoided all of the squeaky, worn in parts. I tossed him a red one from the new pack of brushes from the linen closet. I hurriedly tamed my mop of messy hair after I finished and washed my face with indifference. Mild annoyance clung to my expression as the plum half circles were even more evident under my too translucent skin. I hadn't noticed him looking at me after he finished, evidently too busy with my mission to wash the day away. He wiped a lost water droplet from my chin I had managed to miss with the towel. His palm rested idly on the arching hollow of my neck.
"You really gotta get some sleep, Bells. I promise everything's gonna be ok. I'll be watching over you until dawn comes. Some of the pack will patrol around the perimeter of the house through the night," he seemed lost in thought for a moment, "Do you want me to tuck you in?" There it was, the sentence I wanted to hear. I never felt like I had to guess what Jake was thinking. His blatant earnestness dispelled any ulterior motives. I nodded back, my head uneasily bobbed from exhaustion starting to take hold of my mind and body.
We crept down the hall to my room, he shut the door quietly behind us. I didn't usually have patience to properly make my bed, so the purple comforter Charlie had picked out for me when I had moved here was messily piled on top of the sheets. I plopped down onto it sleepily. Jake laid down next to me, folding the blanket around me, and I curled up against his much larger frame. The happenings of today scattered into multitudes of thoughts. La Push, Harry's death, Alice's visit and my personal favorite—our kiss. What were we now? My mind drifted off peacefully, delving into unconsciousness as his body closely encompassed me.
My dreams were not as inviting as the last few hours had been. A harrowing, all too clear vision of Victoria running through the woods along my house filled my sleep. In the distance, Charlie complacently chopped wood in the back yard. From my third person point of view, I watched as she headed straight for him. Victoria abruptly leapt over a stout tree stump and lunged at him. I could see her bright red eyes drill into mine, her thin body twisting inhumanly with her mouth wide open. My eyes snapped open just as she reached Charlie, her teeth sinking into the muscles on his neck. I jerked forward and woke in a cold sweat, my heart pounding in my chest as I gasped for air. Jacob's eyes opened instinctively, and he rolled onto his opposite side. He gazed into my wide, terrified eyes and did his best to assuage my panicked state.
"What? What is it, Bella?" He worked his digits into the muscles of my back, kneading them to settle me. My breathing slowed as I nestled back into his arms. I shook my head, angry at this constant frequency of bad dreams—even with Jacob's presence.
"It's nothing. Just another lovely nightmare. To be honest, I w-wish you didn't have to go. When I'm with you, it's the only time I feel okay. But I know I can't keep you..." I could see his face surprisingly clear due to the combination of moonlight and streetlight peeking through the curtains. Jacob's brows furrowed with concern. He wrapped his arms around my upper torso and tucked my head under his chin. One of his hands stroked my hair while the other worked to rub the middle of my back.
"Don't worry. I'm always gonna be here. I'll always protect you," Jake paused.
He murmured quietly into a tuft of my unkempt tresses between soft humming, "Have some faith in me, Bells. I'm strong enough to take that leech on. Alone. Anyway, if you don't want me to leave, I'll just trade a patrol shift with Quill or Embry," he sighed calmly, "What would you want to do today? Besides get more sleep?"
"I wouldn't want to mess anything up between you and Sam. I need to study, and so do you. Aren't you struggling with your grades? You're barely in school because of the pack." Worry drowned my face; I didn't want to be selfish, though.
"Eh, I'm doing fine. I could easily apply for my GED and be done with it. It's not a big deal, I already know the material anyway. Bella, you wouldn't mess anything up. You're important to me and Sam would understand." He pulled away momentarily to look into my eyes. One of the corners of his lips tipped upwards into a lopsided, extra Jacob-y grin. The butterflies swelled in my stomach, devouring my previous anxiety.
"W-well...I can help you study for it then. I'm set to graduate in a few weeks," I muttered, "and thanks for staying, Jake. It helps when you're with me."
I relaxed and rested my head against the bulk of his pectoral muscles. He continued his humming, and absentmindedly stroked the hair beginning to pool behind me on the cool sheets. As we drifted back to sleep, I wondered when Charlie would be up. It was still relatively early when he left, I heard the cruiser start up and rumble down our street. It was still dark outside my windows, the sun hadn't rose yet. I hadn't known if he came into my room, but I knew there was too much on his mind. I suspected he would call later to check in. It was now early Sunday.
The sun peaked in through the open curtains of my room, the golden light draped ethereally over the edge of the bed. I quietly laid next to Jacob, taking in the serenity of the morning. I replayed the night before in my mind. Sleep had been easy despite my nightmare earlier. Arguably, it had been the best sleep I had in a long time. Not since Edward left...My fingertips subtly traced over my lips, recanting the first kiss I experienced with Jacob. A modest blush grew on my cheeks after I remembered every detail of how wonderful it had been. I wanted more time and certainly more affection. I felt starved. My heart, my mind, and my body needed it. Jacob could give me everything I desired—and then some. My thoughts became more curious. Would each kiss be that powerful and devout? I doubt I would survive past kisses. I pushed the lewd images from my mind. I was embarrassed with how quickly my imagination had altered toward a more serious direction.
After a little more time, I heard a faint grumble from my stomach and nonchalantly noticed I was hungry yet again. It was strange. I didn't need to train my body to forget it needed sustenance. I was adamant that I get up and cook breakfast for us with the sun still low in the sky. While I was certain I was sneaky enough not to wake Jacob, I had failed in that attempt. When I shifted my legs further towards the edge of the bed, his arms tightened a little around my core. A low whisper came from him, and I unknowingly flinched.
"Are you awake already, Bells? I thought you weren't an early bird." His voice was gruff and deeper in timbre due to residual sleep. It stirred a fuzzy feeling deep in my stomach, one that was unknown, but I knew it was definitely not hunger or butterflies. My heart was in my throat and my breathing sped up.
"Y-yeah. Thankfully, I didn't have any more nightmares after I fell back asleep." I tried really hard to concentrate, "I actually got really good sleep...the first in months."
I pushed a lock of my hair behind my ear, rubbing the last bit of tiredness from my eyes. Jacob pulled me even closer into his sleepy hold. He reminded me of a child with a teddy bear. I lost a grip on my resolve to start making breakfast.
"I'm glad to hear that. I think I'm a good influence on you. To no surprise, I slept like a baby. But you make it very difficult to want to get up." His voice purred into my now exposed ear; a shiver ran up my back from the contact.
"I think you'd sleep anywhere," I laughed, "but I agree. As much as I want to stay in bed and sleep today away with you, I really should make breakfast. Are you hungry?" I leaned further into his embrace, already knowing the answer to the question I had asked.
"I could eat a horse, and then a whole cow." I felt the silly, lightheartedness in his reply and chuckled before he became silent.
He continued, "I like being close like this. I've dreamt about being able to hold you—to kiss you. Last night was easily the best night of my life." His voice was tranquil, but his heart jackhammered behind my shoulder. I could feel it's accelerated, solid pace. His lips grazed over the base of my exposed shoulder after he spoke. My heart stopped and began to palpitate, the skin he had been giving attention was exceptionally sensitive.
"R-really?" I stuttered, my curiosity building. I desperately wanted to know. How long had Jake had feelings for me? When did they start? That and it was so hard to think when he was kissing my neck. I felt weightless, breathless too. The butterflies swallowed me whole.
"Yes, Bells, I dream about you. About us. You're what keeps me going and what got me through my first phase. That and every phase since." He had loosened his hold so his right hand could thread through the messy flop of curls in between my nape and the bed. I tilted my head back towards him while my body remained flush against his. He paused for a brief moment and the hand that previously stroked my hair now held my jaw. The length of his fingers came to rest just behind my ear. He tilted my chin up carefully and leaned closer. Our lips were mere centimeters away from each other and my heart began to pin ball around my ribs in anticipation.
"I never knew that. Can I ask what...what was it like?" I said, barely audible.
His expression changed slightly, and a sad smile pulled his lips downward. He closed the gap between us. My lips met his impatiently, and the kiss was far too short. My body responded expeditiously and I turned to face him, our limbs hungrily tangling within the sheets. I found myself pawing at his shirt, my hands desperately clutching at the material along the dips of his collarbones. He pulled away first again and placed a tender kiss on the edge of my lips, very close to the corner. His fingertips resumed their original position and traced through my brunette hair. He grasped a lock of dark silk between his index finger and thumb, twirling it playfully. My breath caught up eventually and so did my racing heart. The sunlight revealed a red tinge to my usually dark hair.
"Phasing? The first time...it was indescribably horrible. I was so full of unbridled rage. Then came the excruciating pain. It was so painful I wanted to throw up and pass out all at once. I felt like my skin was set alight and it would melt off. My bones felt like they were breaking all at the same time, grinding to dust under the weight of something intangible.
"When it happened, I tried to visualize that brief moment of holding your hand at the theatre, and every moment we spent together on the rez. Then—the next thing I knew—I had four legs and fur," he murmured darkly against my skin.
He continued kissing my jaw line after he spoke, his words were wistful, and it was beyond difficult to listen without getting lost in his exhilarating touch. His warmth, his breath, how it felt to be in his arms. I had forgotten all about breakfast and ultimately, all about anyone before him. There wasn't any room for comparison anymore. My mind stirred when he stopped at the base of my ear. He had ceased his tirade of kisses. His description of phasing reminded a little bit of the acidic venom that spread through my veins when James bit me. It burned so badly. The agonizing pain that day made me beg for death within moments.
"You know—you are impossible. I can't think with you doing that. It's not fair." I turned around, and pushed against the plane of his chest. I reveled in feeling of the corded, lean muscle beneath my hands. My cheeks were flushed with how hot I suddenly felt. Blush, again?
"Not fair? I'm sorry, but you're the one who's irresistible. I could kiss you for days. The way you smell, the way you feel...it's so delectable," he huffed, preoccupied mentally.
Jacob tilted my chin up prudently, painting a bold kiss to my lips in response. The tip of his tongue traced tentatively along my lower lip and dipped into my mouth with slow permission. My tongue met his in definitive tandem. This kiss lasted much longer than the one last night. I was marveled by his constant, unyielding affection. Being with Jacob felt more than natural. We laid there for a long while, more than content in our bliss. I listened intimately to his heart, and I felt my own match, beat for beat.
We were interrupted this time by a relatively loud 'yelp' sound that came from outside the window. Jacob swallowed an annoyed growl. He glanced over his shoulder and strengthened his hold on me. He exhaled a resigned sigh. A sense of mild irritation came over his features as he then loosened his grip.
"How would you feel about having breakfast at Emily's?" I had figured it was one of the pack that the noise came from, it sounded canine in nature. "Sam wants to talk to me about some stuff."
I was nervous at the thought of being openly affectionate around the pack. We weren't considered imprints but I would try not to let that fact worry me. I was with Jacob now and I knew there was a reason we were together. I didn't know when he would potentially imprint or how long I would have with him. Months, years—decades? With how he explained imprinting, he sounded like he knew that he had. It bothered me that the others had dissuaded him. We were permanent fixtures in each others' world now. Maybe this time was different? Maybe we were different? My thoughts consumed me, but I broke free from the flood of internal, unanswered questions.
"Sure, that sounds nice. As long as I'm not going to be bothering anyone," I shoved a tuft of hair behind my ear, starting to chew on my bottom lip.
"Bella, you would never bother anyone. Emily loves company and having another girl around will be good for both of you. The boys aren't exactly the best conversationalists and it's very awkward at times. All that testosterone in one little area..." he scrubbed his hand down his face and stifled a laugh, "That and I have to quash Paul and Jared's egos."
"Don't tell me you made a bet with the pack?" I elbowed him playfully, scoffing.
"No, I didn't. I respect you," he stated frankly, "Paul and Jared made a bet that you wouldn't admit your feelings for me.
"I love the idea of making them eat their words. They're my brothers, but sometimes I swear...I'd like to knock their heads together. They both share one brain cell fighting for third place." He shook his head lightly and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.
"Ah, I see. We shouldn't keep Sam waiting then, he might not appreciate that." I feebly attempted to free myself from his hold. His huge hand cupped my jaw, and he tilted my chin to look back into his eyes. Jacob planted one last, delicate kiss on my lips before releasing me.
When we separated, I changed my clothes to something presentable. Jacob didn't want me to be uncomfortable waiting for the Chevy to heat up, so he went to start it. For being spring and the beginning of May, the air was bitterly cold in the morning. I threw one of Charlie's green, faded flannels over a tight, black tank top and shoved myself into fitted jeans. I instinctively paired the outfit with my favorite beat-up converses. I brushed my disheveled hair, failing miserably to get my dark locks to cooperate. I defeatedly stuffed a slouchy, grey beanie on my head after fighting with my deflated curls. I don't know why I cared what I looked like, but something told me I needed to look nicer today. I left a note for Charlie in case he got back before we did. I brushed my teeth with Jake, and we drove off shortly after. I had appreciated that I didn't need my coat that much because of Jake's space heater status. He kept me close, a content smile plastered on his face and mine.
A distinct realization flourished in the mix of thoughts I harbored as we traveled down the winding road. I loved him. I love Jacob and he loves me. Intrinsically, our love was evolving. It was unraveling. Transforming from a juvenile, chrysalis state to a mature, healthy butterfly epoch. Destined.
We were connected by a dense, eternal ribbon of fate.